My Story

My name is Yorn Phalla. I am 19 years old. My nationality is Khmer. I live in Svay Prey Village, Svay Dangkum Commune, Siem Reap City. I stopped studying in grade seven when I was 14 years old, because I had a problem in my family. My younger sister died and my mother was sick at the hospital for one month. My older sister had to take care of my mother. No one stayed at home. I didn’t have enough money and time to go to school anymore. I decided to stop studying and in 2011 I applied for a job in a restaurant. I received $50 per month for my salary. In 2013 I stopped working there and applied to study sewing skills at Human and Hope Association. I was chosen to be a morning Sewing Assistant in HHA when I finished the semester. I then went on to study advanced sewing in the afternoons and I also studied English at HHA.

When I’ve studied and worked at HHA, my family situation is better. I can get a new skill and now I have enough money to support my family.